The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1887-03-10
SOLDERING ON SKATES.
A. MILITARY REsoURCE:BMPLoYED
I'm NORWAY.


The Norwegian Snow Skates Util-
lied in Military Movements-How
the Skating Soldiers Operated.
Norway, during considerable part of
the year. is covered with snow; and her
winters, which IN other countries are of
short duration, extend to five or six
months, and IN the most northern parts
to much longer period. During this
time it is impossible to leave the beaten
roads, for the purpose at least of travel
ling; and when fresh snow happens to
fall, even the communication by means
of them is stopped till the sledging is
able to be continued by means of ma
chine, which, being dragged by horses
along the road, restores the former track.
by cleaning away the snow in part and
hattening and levelling the remainder.
The thinness, however, of the popula-
ton, widely scattered oyer such an i'm
mense extent of country, renders it in
many places impossible to keep the roads
open by these means. 1t was natural,
then, that the Norwegian should devise
some mode by which to leave his hut,
generally far removed from roads, and
traverse the forests in various directions
with sufficient celebrity to follow the
chase, his favorite occupation. For this
purpose he devised the skies, or snow
skates, which consist of two thin, narrow
pieces of fir, of unequal lengths, the FORE
most part being pointed and turned up
ward. The longest, which measures
about seven feet, is used on the left foot;
and the other, which is about two feet
shorter on the right. The latter is called
aander, from the foot being used more
than the left, particularly in turning.
Both skates are about three inches in
width, and an inch in thickness in the
centre, where the foot is placed, which is
firmly bound to the skie by loops at the
side made of willow or fbres of fir roots,
to which are fastened leather thongs.
The skies are smeared with tar and pitch,
and the under side is followed in the
centre into groove to prevent their slip
ping laterally, and to enable the skielber,
or skater, to keep straight course.
Notwithstanding tho obstacles whic b
the nature of the country, particularly
during winter, would seem to throw IN
the way of an invading enemy. Norway
has often been attacked during this sea-
son; and as the use of the skle had been
known to the natives from the earliest
times, it was natural to think of forming
a military corps of skaters and furnish
ing rihemen with the skie, in the use OF
which the mountaineers display such as
tonishing ease and celerity. During the
former wars with Sweden all the Nor
wegian light troops have occasionally
made use of skies; q certain portion,
however, OF them were more particularly
trained to the use of these kinds of
skates, under the denomination of the
skielovere, signifying literally skate run
ners. Previous to the union between
Norway and Sweden there existed in
Norway regiments of skaters-one in the
district of Drontheim, and the other IN
that of Aggerhuus. The above event,
however, having caused considerable
reduction of the Norwegian army, the
number OF the skating soldiers was also
reduced. The uniform of the regiment
was green, like that of the other rifle
corps. though the men, upon ordinary
occasions, also wore an undress jacket of
a coarser kind of cloth, the color of
which was gray; and they were likewise
provided with peculior kind OF CATERS,
in order to protect their feet the more
efTectually from the snow. The arms Of
the skielober were rifle, to which
was attached a broad leathern strap
passing over the shoulder, and short
sword. Hc carried with him, besides, o
staff (skiestoken), seven feet in length,
and rather more than an inch in diane
ter. This, which was held in the right
hand, was armed at one end with an iron
spike, and above it was placed circu-
lar piece of wood. The use of the former
was to penetrate the frozen snow, and
of the latter to prevent the staff sinking
in, giving thus a firm support to the
bearer. The skiestok, or skiestav, as it
was called, was likewise, as has been be-
fore observed, of considerable use to the
skielober, in enabling him to moderate
his speed, make sudden wheels, and pre-
serve the necessary balance during the
descent of steep declivities. The skielo-
bere to the skate exercise united that Of
the ordinary chasseurs, or light troops,
of which it constituted part, and it
performed all the duties, differing from
them only by marching on skates, which
gave it very great superiority. The
skielobere moved with singular agility,
and from the depth of snow were safe
from pursuit of cavalry or infantry. On
the other hand, they could attack the
enemy's columns on march, and harass
them necessarily on both sides OF the
road, without incurring any danger to
themselves. Cannon shot produced lit
tie effect directed against them, dispersed
as they were at the distance of 200 or
800 PAGES, and their movements were so
rapid that at the very instant you would
expect to SEE them q second time they
had already disappeared, to appear again
in quarter where you were not in the
least aware of them.
The real superiority of the skating
soldiers, however, was chiefly shown
when the enemy halted after q long
march. Whatever precautions might
then bo taken, they were in constant
danger from troops which had no occa-
sion for path or road, and traversed with
Indifference marshes, lakes, rivers and